HC turns down PIL seeking judicial probe into Hathras gang rape case

Rajesh Kumar Pandey TNN

Prayagraj  05.12.2020

: The Allahabad high court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into the alleged gang rape of a 19-yearold dalit woman in Hathras, saying it did not want to multiply the litigation as another one in this regard was pending before its Lucknow bench.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Piyush Agrawal, was hearing the PIL filed by one Babita Upadhyay. The petitioner had also sought directions to the UP government and authorities concerned not to restrain the media or the public at large to meet the family members of the victim.

The court while declining to interfere in the present proceedings, said that a division bench at Lucknow had taken suo motu cognizance of the midnight cremation of the victim’s body. “We are not inclined to multiply the litigation in relation to the issue which is already under consideration,” it observed.

The petitioner had also sought a direction to the state government to formulate proper guidelines and provide adequate and uniform compensation to all the victims of gang rape and murder without any discrimination.

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The Allahabad high court said it does not want to multiply the litigation as another plea in the alleged Hathras gang rape case was pending before its Lucknow bench